Valve mechanism



J. N. MACRAE 1,772,588

VALVE MECHANISM Aug. 12, 1930.

Filed July 8. 1927 4 Patented Aug. 12, 19,150

UNITED t JAMES N.` Macau, or. JERSEY emv', Nnwannsv, `vas`srei-rc a To' PETROLEUM .AND rowing. coMPANnoFNEW Yomr, N. Y., A CORPORATION or nELAwAnEf f lvnrivn MEcHANrsia Application led July 8,1927. Serial No. 204,188.

My invention is directedI to ani im rovement in valve mechanism and will e `described not by way of limitation, but merely for clarity of description, as valve mechanism adapted for installation in the line between a source of liquid supply anda pump, such as in an oil burner installation for example.

One of the objects of my invention is the provision of a valve construction adapted for installation as above indicated, in which, when the pump taking liquid from the source of supply ceases operation, the system will be sealed against the liquid flowing back to the storage tank or other liquid source.

A further object of my invention is the provision in such valve mechanism of a construction whereby should the suction line be ruptured'from any cause siphoning of the liquid through the valve from the storage tank or other source of supply will be prevented.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 shows more or less diagrammatically an oil burner installation with my improved valve mecha- -nism installed therein; and

Fig. 2 shows the valve itself on a larger scale and in partsectional elevation.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 designates a source of liquid supply, such as an oil tank or storage tank, while 2 designates an oil burner, it being understood that this burner comprises a pump for drawing fuel from the tank and supplying it to the burner nozzle or atomizer.

3 designates the suction pipe or line through which the liquid, fuel in the present insta-nce, is drawn from the tank l by the pump.

In the line 3 intermediate the storage tank 1 and the pump of the burner I provide the anti-siphoning valve 4 of my invention.

As will be seen from Fig. 2, this valve mechanism comprises a body 5 provided with inlet 6 and outlet 7. The body 5 is provided with a screw 'cap 8.

Intermediate the inlet 6 and outlet 7, the valve body is provided with three inter-communicating chambers 9, 10 and 11, respectively, these chambers gradually increasing vin capacity from the inlet 6 towardfthefout-k i .et 7. ff." r.

Within each chamber is mounted a. ball valve, these varyinff in size in accordance with the capacity ofI the different chambers.` I have designated thesevalves 12, l3and 14, the valve 12 being mounted in the chamber 9,' y valve 13 in the chamber l0, and valve 14-n the chamber 11. These valves all seat in the' one direction, i. e., toward the inlet 6. f

Within the cap -8 and resting upon the up*- per or largest valve 14 is a vertically movable weight 15 cooperating with the valve 14 to seat the same.

Under normal conditions with the pump in operation, the three valves 12, 13 and 14 are unseated due to the action of the pump, so as to permit of the flow of oil or other liquid from the tank or other source of liquid supply 1 through the inlet 6 of the valve body, through the valve chambers and out the outlet 7 to the pump. In oil burner installations, the burner pump may be intermittently operated, and in such an installation as the pump stops, irrespective of the cause, the valves 12, 13 and 14 will automatically seat in the order mentioned, the valve 12 being the* first to seat owing to the restricted area in which it works. Each valve seats by gravity, the seating of the valve 14 being augmented by the weight 15. While the valve 12 when seated is fully capable of sealing the system against flowing of the oil or other liquid. bac: to the source of supply 1, the valves 13 and 14 provide an extra safety factor or two for this purpose.

Should a break occur in the suction line between the pump and the outlet 7 of the valve body, the valve 14 and weight 15 are of sufficient mass to seat the valve 14, thereby to prevent any liquid from being siphoned through the valve from the storage tank.

In some types of installation where my valve mechanism is useful, the weight 15 may not be desirable or necessary, and in such installations it is merely necessary to unscrew the cap 8 and remove the weight. In other installations it maybe desirable to vary the mass acting upon the valve 14 and in such a case the weight 15 may be substituted by a 100 lighter or a heavier weight as the case may be. It will be seen, therefore, that I have provided valve mechanism adapted to be inserted between a pump and a source of l1qu1d supply adapted to operate upon cessation of 5 the umping operation to prevent a flow back to tlie source of supply of the liquid in the system and to prevent a iow of the liquid in the opposite direction by a siphoning action, should the suction line be ruptured between the pump and valve.

What I claim is: l

1. Valve mechanism comprising a valve body provided with an inlet and a suction outlet and with a plurality of aligned intercommunicating chambers intermediate the inlet and outlet, said chambers varying in area successively, the smallest chamber being adjacent the inlet, the largest adjacent the outlet, a gravity-seated ball valve for each of said chambers, said balls varying in mass directly in accordance with the variation in. area of the valve chambers, a cap for said valve body, and a weight within thev valve body between the cap and the valve having the greatest mass, said weight cooperating with said valve to facilitate seating of the same.

2. Valve mechanism comprising a valve body having an' inlet and an outlet, said valve body being provided interiorly with a plurality of aligned intercommunicating valve chambers, said chambers successively varying in area, with the smallest chamber adjacent the inlet, a ball valve in each chamber, the mass of said valves varying correspondingly to the variation in the area of the valve chamber, with the smallest valve in the smallest chamber, and a cap removably attached to said valve body adjacent the largest valve for permittin of the insertion of a weight Within the va ve body between said cap and the largest of said valves to facilitate seatin of said vdve. d h h d f is s eci cation signe t is 6t ay o a July, 192g.

JAMES N. MACRAE. 

